My Monty Oum Tribute
by fantanmango
Summary: (This is the first thing I've ever submitted anywhere, and I'm new to this, so please be gentle :3.) I know this is very late for this type of thing. Read and rate if you like, constructive/friendly criticism\comment please :). This may be taken as a bit long winded and rant-like to some. T-rating because...paranoia...


my monty oum tribute (warning rant ahead)

"Don't say goodbye, never say goodbye. If you don't you're not really gone. You just aren't here right now."

What can be said about Monty that hasn't already been said by now. As I'm making this, It's about a month and 11 days since his passing. Now that to me is a long ass time to wait to make this, but I'm going by the motto of "better late than never" and doing it anyways, and I feel like I personally need to do this to move on. So here goes.

I can tell you what I'm sure those reading this already know. He was an inspiration to an innumerable amount of people, leading them into career paths they didn't even know they wanted to be in, to create anything from stories to art. I can tell you that he was a good, kind hearted, honest soul who worked himself to passing out more often than not just because it was interesting to him, or because it needed to be done and he couldn't be bother with such a petty thing as sleep. After all, what's a little thing like sleep to the king of the DDR machine?

I can tell you that his soul purpose in life seemed to be to create. His brilliant mind was ever filled with ideas and machinations that he could, and often would, make reality. The man was often his own personal fashion statement, and what a statement it was. I'm sure that he had come up with brilliant and exciting ideas for the future that we unfortunately will never be able to see become reality now.

I will tell you, though i don't need to, that his passing affected all those he had touched, either through his work, his work ethics and ideals, his philosophies on life, or meeting him face to face. It affected everyone differently, and to varying degrees of grieving. Many cried at this sorry turn of events (I was among them), while some simply couldn't (and still can't) accept/ come to terms with it. Some were so disheartened they lost the will to continue to create, or pursue their dreams/goals. A few I'm sure are still grieving as if it had happened only a few days ago. And all of them, every last one of them, deserve to have that process and should have some respect, no matter what type of grieving.

I am one of those who was inspired by his life and his work. But I was only inspired by his life when he passed, and i hate saying that. I hate it because I've looked around at all those people out there, telling their stories in times of grief, and damn near every one I've read has been about how they followed him, learned about him, were inspired by him, etc. when he was alive and well. Reading these makes me feel like crap because so many people knew for years what i only learned in the following weeks of his death, that they were inspired by his life while he still drew breath, while it took his death to truly learn about him.

That doesn't by any stretch mean that I hate those people or the stories they tell in any way shape or form. Quite the opposite really, i respect them for it. I myself have always had aspirations of creating in many ways, shapes and forms. Yet I've always been held back by my shyness and severe lack of self motivation to do so. Monty's death was a wake up slap right to the face for me. This young man, too young at the age of 33, died to an allergic reaction in his prime, still with plenty of life to live and too many wonderful and fantastic ideas, style, and skill to be gifted upon this unworthy world. Hell he was even married, though sadly for only around 2 years as far as I've heard.

I on the other hand am none of those things. I am lazy, fairly worthless, i like my sleep personally, it takes me much effort just to get going, and fail at many of the things I set out to do in life. And the extremely sad and morbid fact of this is i will most likely outlive this amazing soul. This worthless husk of a being will probably outlive someone who very well deserves to outlive me by leaps and bounds. But i suppose, as Monty often said, we have to keep moving forward.

His life has inspired me to go into animation, which coincides with my long time dream of making games. I'm also trying to get into writing and drawing, two things I've basically been at war with for a few years now. For this final gift from him to someone as unworthy of it as me, I can never thank him enough, and can only ever hope that he accepts whatever amount i'm able to give.

Well I do believe I have created a pretty effing huge wall of text here. I'll put a warning in the title for all those who enter, so it's only your fault if you're angry with me by this point. And i'm truly sorry for bothering you all with this rant of mine. So to end it off, here are my final words on the matter.

Monty was more than just a man. He made his own type of fashion. He was an artist of the highest caliber, and gave all his talent, time, devotion and skill in his works to entertain and excite us. He was an inspiration and a hero to many who may have been lost on what they wanted to do with themselves. He was a great friend, and an amazing worker. He was a husband and the father of four wonderful and kickass young women whom i can't wait to watch mature and grow in the coming times. He was a creator of worlds and amazing works, whether they be costumes, props for said costumes, or art in the form of what this incredible man did best.

This world is surely much darker without your light to brighten it up. We'll all miss you Mr. Oum, and i can only hope that one day, I'll get to meet you in person on the other side, whatever or whereever that may be.

Thank you for all that you've done, all that you managed to accomplish, and all the people, including me, you managed to inspire with your life. I sincerely wish you rest easy friend, you deserve it you magnificent creature you.

And thank you all for reading, whoever you may be. Don't give up on your dreams, and don't stop trying to create. He always encouraged us to create, and we shouldn't stop just because he isn't here at the moment to say otherwise.

Good luck out there ;3.


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